Fall Gear Guide 2023
Fall might be our favorite time of year for camping. There’s a special beauty that comes from the most fleeting of seasons—the slanted light filtering through golden leaves, the brisk air carrying a touch of wood smoke, and the bright red and orange leaves swirling in the stream. And, because the swarms of both mosquitoes and tourists have moved on, you’ll have all this autumn glory to yourself.
To make your fall camping trip a bit cozier and a lot easier, we’ve curated some of our favorite tried-and-true camp gear as well as some covet-worthy items on our wish list. In addition to your puffy jacket and maybe a nice bottle of bourbon for sipping around the campfire, here’s what you may want to bring into the great outdoors with you this fall.
Camp Kitchen
MSR Alpine 2 Pot Set (THE DYRT STAFF PICK)
Light, durable, and versatile, this two-pot set is versatile enough to suit all your backcountry cooking needs. Made from durable stainless steel, the pots conduct heat quickly and evenly and are easy to clean. The two pots nest together to save space, come with a detachable handle so it won’t get hot over a flame or in a fire, and have a communal lid that fits both and doubles as a plate—or even a frying pan in a pinch.
Rovr Rollr 60 Wheeled Cooler
Imagine a cooler so bomber a grizzly can’t get into it, so organized your egg carton stays dry, so insulated it keeps ice for 10 days, so portable it rolls over rocks like a mountain bike, and so badass its handles are called “Dual MotoGrip.” Now stop imagining—it already exists. The Rollr 60 is the king of the campsite, with a DeepFreeze Dry Bin to keep stuff cold yet out of the ice and enough extra space to store 40 beverages with 10 pounds of ice. But the accessories (sold separately) might be the best part—a cutting board, collapsible gear tote that doubles as a seat cushion, umbrella holder, and tow-behind bike attachment? Yes, please. (Note: Two of Rovr’s bear-proof locks are required for bear-proofing.)
Jetboil Silicone Coffee Press (THE DYRT STAFF PICK)
If you don’t already own a Jet Boil stove, crawl out of whatever cave you’ve been living in and buy one—and be sure to add the Silicone Coffee Press to whatever system you choose. Not only does it make the best and fastest cup of joe when you’re on the trail, in the van, or camping out of your car, but it doubles as a vegetable steamer while you heat your soup or simmer your rice. It comes in two sizes (regular to fit the Flash, MicroMo, and Zip cooking cups; or grande to fit the MiniMo and SuMo cooking cups) and works so well, you won’t believe how much of your life you’ve wasted waiting for that old percolator.
GSI Ultralight Java Drip (THE DYRT STAFF PICK)
If you’re the only coffee-holic in your backpacking or camping crew, toss this super light nylon reusable coffee filter in your pack. It weighs only 0.3 oz, and the cute little cup nests under any standard fuel container. Just because you’re roughing it in the woods does not mean you have to go without your morning fix.
iKamper Aioks
gif image via Bespoke Post
It’s not cheap, but when you consider it comes with two 7,500 BTU Kovea propane burners and a table for four, and it folds into a handy rolling easy-to-stow box with room for all your cookware inside, we think it’s well worth the cheddar. Aioks stands for “all-in-one kitchen system,” and its clever design lives up to its name. Four people can comfortably sit around the long table and eat as you cook, and the legs are adjustable to accommodate uneven ground. This kitchen is a car-camper’s dream.
RV
NOCO Boost X GBX45 1250A Ultra Save Car Battery Jump Starter
There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a remote place and discovering that one of the kids drained your rig’s battery charging his phone all night. Save your vacation—and your familial relations—with this portable battery charger. With 1,250 amps, it will jump start a car, motorcycle, truck, ATV, boat, RV, or van in just five minutes. Oh, and it also boasts a USB-C port that the kids can use for their phones. Problem(s) solved.
Decked D-Bag Tool Backpack
“The only D-bag you’ll ever like,” says Decked, about their versatile tool bag. Not only do we love a brand that has a sense of humor, but we love their shape-shifting design that changes functions depending on your needs. It’s both a soft- and hard-shell, with multiple carry options (backpack, briefcase, or slung over your shoulder), and it’s the best way to transport everything from heavy power tools to hunting gear. It’s designed to integrate with the Decked Drawer System or the Tool Box, but if you don’t have drawers in your rig, don’t worry—it works great on its own, too.
Lightship L1 RV
A couple guys working at Tesla saw a real dissonance in the RV world: Drive to the most beautiful places in the world to experience peace and quiet, and then pull into a campground and fire up a generator. Enter the Lightship RV, a quiet, solar-powered tow-behind masterpiece that will hit the market in 2024. It is sleek, minimalist, and beautiful—a stellar example of form following function. It has integrated solar panels on the top that power everything in it, huge bay windows that offer uninterrupted views (even in the shower), and an uber-modern interior that will make you feel like you’re in a spaceship from the future. The Lightship is three times more aerodynamic than a classic travel trailer, with the bottom cleverly nesting into the top for driving mode. Once at the campsite, the top extends to create a huge, airy living space, with pass-through windows and awnings that pop out over an outdoor cooking station. (There’s an indoor cooking station, too; both have induction stoves.) Sign up on their website to reserve your RV for (and of) the future.
Starting at $125,000 ($118,400 after tax credit)
Camp Accessories
MPowered Luci Solar String Lights (THE DYRT STAFF PICK)
Let’s face it, a blinding headlamp beam doesn’t exactly scream ambiance. But with these amazing solar string lights, you can transform any campsite into a magical garden, a charming bistro, a bumping dance floor, or a romantic getaway. With a solar panel that charges 100 lumens spread over 10 nodes on an 18-foot cord, the lights last up to 20 hours on a single charge—and you can charge your phone with them, too. String them in a tree, above a picnic table, or in your tent for unforgettable outdoor vibes.
Kelty Low Loveseat (THE DYRT STAFF PICK)
There are more ways than fire to stay warm outdoors in the fall. This loveseat for two lets you snuggle up to your campfire partner so comfortably, you’d be forgiven for using it indoors, too. Two insulated cup holders keep your beer cold and cocoa warm, a low-slung reclining profile keeps things extra chill, and durable fabric ensures you can let all the sparks fly. And when it’s time to pack up and go home? It wraps up super easily like a burrito—way easier than trying to stuff it in a bag. Just be sure to lay claims on it while camping with friends—the second you get up, someone’s going to steal it.
Epiphany Outdoor Gear Pocket Bellows (THE DYRT CEO PICK)
Become a fire whisperer with this handy Pocket Bellows—and save your lungs and hair while you’re at it. This collapsible straw-like bellows compresses and focuses all your breath (which does contain quite a bit of oxygen, aka nature’s gasoline) into the heart of a fire. Damp wood? No problem with this little tool. We won’t leave home without it.
Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter Knife (THE DYRT STAFF PICK)
This is not just any knife. Designed for hunting but perfect for anything from chopping onions to whittling s’mores sticks to slicing carpaccio, this knife will become the one tool you never forget. The blade is laser-cut from sheets of high-grade steel, then ground, beveled, finished, and hand-assembled in Oregon City. The handsome handles are milled in-house and are removable for deep cleaning. It’s so sharp and precise, you could probably do field surgery with it, though we hope you never have to.
Katadyn Be Free Water Filter Bottle
We love the “be free” part of this water filter’s name because it’s exactly what it gives you—total freedom to explore the wilderness—though we find “bottle” a bit of a misnomer because it’s really a lightweight collapsible bag that stashes easily anywhere. Semantics aside, lace up your sneakers, get on your bike, put on your waders, and stay out all day—you can refill at any water source and drink straight from the bottle. It’s the smallest filter on the market, and it’s easy to clean, too, just unscrew it and rinse out dirt and debris. It comes in other sizes, but we like the .6 L (20 oz) for its supreme portability. Go, be free!
Sleep Systems
White Duck Outdoors Regatta Bell Tent
Find out for yourself why the Regatta Bell Tent is America’s favorite. (Hint: Sometimes it rains, and when it does, you might just want to have a dance party.) First, if you’re not already familiar with these types of tents, a Bell Tent is a traditional-type canvas tent that looks like, you guessed it, a bell. They’re heavier than the technical-fabric tents and are thus not appropriate for backpacking, but they are guaranteed to add the glamp to your car camp. They’re easy to put up (10 minutes or less), tall enough to stand—or dance—in, sturdy enough to last for decades, and are wood-fired stove-compatible for extra coziness. White Duck models are made with army duck cotton in a water-repellent, mold- and UV-resistant finish; bug mesh panels cover the windows and door; and they boast pre-installed heat-resistant silicone-coated stove jacks. The ceiling height depends on the size, but the smallest one (10 feet) stands at 7.5 feet in the center. Choose from 10, 13, 16, or 20-foot options, depending on your needs. The bigger you go, the more folks you can invite for an awesome portable circus.
From $700
Crua Culla Insulated Tent
Tents are awesome for protecting us from the rain, but not so much for sun, heat, and cold. Most of us have woken up in a sweat lodge under the relentless summer morning sun after one too many whiskeys by the fire or spent a frigid night shivering with our heads in our sleeping bags and praying we don’t have to get up to pee. Crua has a brilliant solution: the Culla Insulated Tent. It’s inflatable and comes with an easy-to-use pump, and it fits right inside your existing tent. It will keep you warm as nighttime temps dip this fall, but it will also keep you cool in the summer and block out sunlight so you can sleep in until you’re good and ready to brave the elements.
Ascent Down Sleeping Bag
This down sleeping bag has all the benefits of down—compressible, packable, light, and warm—without any of the downsides. It’s filled with 750+ loft responsibly sourced Ultra Dry Down that is specially treated to repel water, which eliminates all the risks that come with relying on feathers in the great outdoors. It’s tapered to retain warmth from head to toe and boasts three zippers to ventilate when that warmth gets to be too much. Vertical chest baffles limit down migration (feathers love to fly!), and an oversized hood and draft tubes maximize heat retention. Those handy zippers also allow for folding down the whole top of the bag, opening it up completely to use as a comforter, or coupling to another Ascent bag for a little tent-time, uh, coupling. It comes in three temperature ratings—25, 15, and 0 degrees F.
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